Ana Carolina de Oliveira Neves

Fire in Rupestrian Grasslands: Plant Response and Management

Plant communities and species composing rupestrian grassland complexes within Brazilian savannas show varied responses to fire, and display similarities with other fire-prone ecosystems. Shallow, nutrient-poor soils subjected to severe water stress favor grasslands which carry fire in a landscape punctuated or crossed by rocky outcrops, riverine forests and other forest patches that act as barriers to fire. The long-term fire regime in these physiognomies is largely unknown, but, in post-European colonization times, the use of fire to livestock (cattle) pastures management and arson, most commonly in the dry season, have dominated the fire dynamics of these ecosystems. Several traits of rupestrian grassland plant species allow them to survive some fire regimes and/or take advantage of the post-burn environment, suggesting an ancient role of fire in their evolution and in defining agricultural practices. Fire management must consider the intrinsic heterogeneity and socioeconomic complexities of rupestrian grasslands landscapes. Evaluation and adaptation of strategies, ranging from protecting target areas from fire to applying prescribed patchy burning, and guaranteeing dialogue regarding people’s needs, practices and knowledge, like those related to cattle raising and everlasting flowers harvesting, must be assured for the accomplishment of biodiversity conservation and sustainability goals. Decision-makers are encouraged to work in partnership with ecologists, policy-makers, and local communities, in an adaptive management approach.

The Human Dimension in the Espinhaço Mountains: Land Conversion and Ecosystem Services

The Espinhaco Mountains and their rupestrian grasslands hold significant historical, cultural, and economic value. The discovery of large gold deposits in Espinhaco in the 1700s started an enduring extractive tradition that persists until today. Since then, other important extractive-economic cycles took place in the region; for example, gold (18th and 19th centuries), diamond (19th and 20th), iron ore mining, gemstones, ornamental stones, sand, and plant extractivism (20th and 21st). Mining generated wealth for the Portuguese Crown and Brazil at a considerable environmental cost. However, in the 20th century, the Espinhaco Mountains developed additional values, focused on treasures of another kind. An astonishing and unique biodiversity occurs (with some of the world’s highest richness values and several endemic species) over the colossal mineral deposits, especially in the rupestrian grasslands. This biodiversity contributes to cultural activities, provides people with medicines, raw materials and water, and maintains three major Brazilian river basins. Recent studies have translated into monetary metrics some of the services that these mountain ecosystems deliver to humans and encouraged more sustainable practices. Here, we offer conservation mechanisms to maintain biodiversity, as well as a proposal for land use management to promote sustainable using the wealth generated by mining.

Effects of a Possible Pollinator Crisis on Food Crop Production in Brazil.

Animal pollinators contribute to human food production and security thereby ensuring an important component of human well-being. The recent decline of these agents in Europe and North America has aroused the concern of a potential global pollinator crisis. In order to prioritize efforts for pollinator conservation, we evaluated the extent to which food production depends on animal pollinators in Brazil—one of the world’s agriculture leaders—by comparing cultivated area, produced volume and yield value of major food crops that are pollinator dependent with those that are pollinator non-dependent. In addition, we valued the ecosystem service of pollination based on the degree of pollinator dependence of each crop and the consequence of a decline in food production to the Brazilian Gross Domestic Product and Brazilian food security. A total of 68% of the 53 major food crops in Brazil depend to some degree on animals for pollination. Pollinator non-dependent crops produce a greater volume of food, mainly because of the high production of sugarcane, but the cultivated area and monetary value of pollinator dependent crops are higher (59% of total cultivated area and 68% of monetary value). The loss of pollination services for 29 of the major food crops would reduce production by 16.55–51 million tons, which would amount to 4.86–14.56 billion dollars/year, and reduce the agricultural contribution to the Brazilian GDP by 6.46%– 19.36%. These impacts would be largely absorbed by family farmers, which represent 74.4% of the agricultural labor force in Brazil. The main effects of a pollinator crisis in Brazil would be felt by the poorer and more rural classes due to their lower income and direct or exclusive dependence on this ecosystem service.

Correction: Effects of a Possible Pollinator Crisis on Food Crop Production in Brazil

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167292.].